US3703267A - Control wheel force sensors - Google Patents

Control wheel force sensors Download PDF

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Publication number
US3703267A
US3703267A US116334A US3703267DA US3703267A US 3703267 A US3703267 A US 3703267A US 116334 A US116334 A US 116334A US 3703267D A US3703267D A US 3703267DA US 3703267 A US3703267 A US 3703267A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
pitch
roll
beams
flexure means
flexure
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US116334A
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English (en)
Inventor
Kenneth L Oliver
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Honeywell Inc
SP Commercial Flight Inc
Original Assignee
Sperry Rand Corp
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Publication date
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Publication of US3703267A publication Critical patent/US3703267A/en
Assigned to SP-COMMERCIAL FLIGHT, INC., A DE CORP. reassignment SP-COMMERCIAL FLIGHT, INC., A DE CORP. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: SPERRY CORPORATION, SPERRY HOLDING COMPANY, INC., SPERRY RAND CORPORATION
Assigned to HONEYWELL INC. reassignment HONEYWELL INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: UNISYS CORPORATION
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64C—AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
    • B64C13/00—Control systems or transmitting systems for actuating flying-control surfaces, lift-increasing flaps, air brakes, or spoilers
    • B64C13/02—Initiating means
    • B64C13/04—Initiating means actuated personally
    • B64C13/042—Initiating means actuated personally operated by hand
    • B64C13/0423—Initiating means actuated personally operated by hand yokes or steering wheels for primary flight controls
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01L—MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
    • G01L5/00—Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes
    • G01L5/22—Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes for measuring the force applied to control members, e.g. control members of vehicles, triggers
    • G01L5/221—Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes for measuring the force applied to control members, e.g. control members of vehicles, triggers to steering wheels, e.g. for power assisted steering

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A mechanism disposed within the hub of an aircraft control wheel including pitch and roll flexure devices which act as the primary restraints to loads applied to the control wheel and a plurality of load beams that function as redundant sensors which react to a minimal percentage of the applied load.
  • Bearing surfaces between the pitch and roll flexure devices effectively isolate the pitch flexures and beams from the load flexures and beams thereby eliminating crosscoupling between these devices in reacting to pilot initiated pitch and roll commands.
  • Transducers affixed to the pitch and roll beams transform mechanical displacements produced in the beams into electrical output command signals which are used to control the aircraft attitude.
  • CONTROL WHEEL FORCE SENSORS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1.
  • the subject invention pertains to aircraft control devices and specifically to apparatus which functions in cooperation with the control wheel to translate pilot applied pitch and roll commands into appropriate electrical output signals to control the aircraft attitude.
  • an aircraft control wheel force sensing device used a pair of conventional E-transformers mounted within the hub to sense pitch and roll displacements between spring restrained members in the wheel.
  • the spring restraints isolated the roll and pitch members so that upon application of an axial force on the wheel only pitch command signals were produced and upon application of a tangential force on the wheel only roll command signals were produced.
  • the E-transformer for sensing axial forces was aligned to the axis of the control column and its armature was attached to the wheel. With no force applied to the wheel, the transformer outputs from each secondary winding are equal.
  • the relative position of the armature to the E-transformer was varied thereby producing an unbalance in the secondary winding in accordance with the applied force.
  • the E-transformer for sensing tangential forces was aligned in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the control column with its armature located on a stationary rear wheel cover which was firmly fixed to the control column. When no tangential force was applied to the wheel, the three outputs from the secondary winding of the E-transformer were equal. However, upon application of a tangential load, the position of the E-transformer was varied relative to the armature thereby producing an unbalance in the secondary winding in accordance with the applied force.
  • the E-transformers and arrnatures are variable reluctance devices which are inherently non-linear due to limitations of state of the art construction techniques. Further, current standards require control wheel force sensors and transducers to provide redundant output signals as a safety measure. The construction of a mechanism to produce redundant outputs using the aforementioned prior art devices results in enlarged control wheel hubs that reduce the pilot's view of the instrument panel. In addition, the nonlinear characteristics of the E-transformers create problems of tracking between the plurality of transformers.
  • the subject invention is a plurality of flexure devices and load beams mounted within the hub of an aircraft control wheel used for sensing the forces applied to the wheel by the pilot.
  • Primary pitch and roll flexures react to a substantial portion of the applied load and pitch and roll load beams react to the remaining minimal portion of the applied load.
  • the primary pitch flexure is a cylindrical member with a mounting flange at one end that is rigidly secured to the hub of the control wheel. Near the end of the cylindrical member opposite the flange a plurality of curved beams are machined into the member.
  • the primary pitch flexure has 2 of freedom (pitch and roll) at the flange mounted end and 1 of freedom (roll) at the opposite end. Therefore, the pitch flexure reacts only to loads applied parallel to the axis of the wheel hub and control column thereby eliminating cross-coupling from the roll flexure into the pitch flexure.
  • Bearings disposed between the torsion bar and inner surface of the cylindrical member isolate the roll flexure from the pitch flexure. Tangential forces applied to the control wheel are transmitted through the.
  • the subject invention provides a compact device which can provide redundant pitch and roll output control signals and still fit within the hub of a control wheel without obscuring the pilots view of the control panel. Further, the pitch and roll load beams may be replaced individually without necessitating a complicated alignment or calibration procedure thereby providing an improvement in serviceability.
  • FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the primary pitch and roll flexure used in the invention
  • FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the pitch load beams shown mounted to the assembly of the primary pitch and roll flexures;
  • FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the roll load beams shown mounted to the assembly of the primary pitch and roll flexures;
  • FIG. 4 is an isometric view of curved beams machined in a section of the pitch flexure
  • FIG. 5 is a detail drawing of a cantilevered load beam illustrating the adjustable limit stops.
  • FIG. 6 is a detail drawing of the hard stop member shown inserted in the mounting flange.
  • a pitch flexure 10 has a cylindrical member 11 with a mounting flange 12 at one end having two rectangular openings 13.
  • a plurality of curved beams 14 are machined in the cylindrical member 11 near the end opposite the mounting flange 12 as shown in FIG. 4 and smaller mounting flanges 15 are fixed at the end opposite the mounting flange 12.
  • a roll flexure which has a hollow torsion bar 21 disposed between a mounting plate 22 and a collar 23. Adjacent the mounting plate 22 is a section of a male spline 24 which is used to rigidly connect the roll flexure 20 to a control column.
  • the roll flexure 20 is inserted into the pitch flexure 10 and three cantilevered pitch load beams 30 are shown assembled to the pitch flexure 10.
  • a mounting plate 31 is attached by screws 32 to the cylindrical member 11.
  • One end of each of the three cantilevered pitch load beams 30 is rigidly mounted to the mounting plate 31 by screws 33.
  • Each of the free ends of the beams 30 has a hole in which a small ball 38 is inserted with equal amounts of the ball protruding on each side of the beam as shown in FIG. 5.
  • the ball 38 on the free end of the beam is positioned between two flat nuts 36 which are positioned at predetermined locations along a threaded shaft 34 and serve as limit stops for the free ends of the beams 30.
  • the threaded shaft 34 is secured by nuts 35 to one of the smaller mounting flanges 15.
  • a plurality of wires 37 conduct the electrical output signals from the pitch strain gages 40 through the hollow torsion bar 21 to a signal processing unit (not shown).
  • FIG. 6 shows a stop member 17 having a threaded section in contact with a threaded hole in mounting plate 22.
  • the stop member 17 has a machined surface adjacent the threaded section disposed within a clearance hole 16 also having a machined surface located in mounting flange 12.
  • the radial distance between the two circular machined surfaces establishes a clearance distance A-A.
  • a clearance distance BB between the adjacent flat surfaces of the mounting flange 12 and the mounting plate 12 is established prior to pinning the collar 23 to the cylindrical member 11.
  • a second clearance distance C-C between the other flat surface of the mounting plate 12 and the adjacent flat surface of the stop member 17 is established by adding shims 18 under the head of the stop member 17.
  • the mounting plate 12 When a maximum pitch down load is appiied to the control wheel 61, the mounting plate 12 translates along the coincident axis Y-Y of the torsion bar 21 and the cylindrical member 11 decreasing the distance BB until the adjacent surfaces come in contact thereby providing a pitch down hard stop limit. Alternately, when a maximum pitch up load is applied to the control wheel 61, the mounting plate 12 again translates along the axis Y--Y decreasing the distance with the shims 18 thereby providing a pitch up hard stop limit.
  • each of the roll load beams 45 is rigidly mounted by screws 47 to a bracket 46 which is in turn affixed to the two smaller mounting flanges 15 on the cylindrical member 11.
  • Each of the free ends of the beams 45 has a hole in which is inserted a small ball 38 in a manner similar to that described for the beams 30 and shown in FIG. 5.
  • the ball 38 on the free end of the beam is positioned between two flat nuts 53 which are positioned at predetermined locations along a threaded shaft 50 serving as limit stops for the free ends of the beams 45.
  • the threaded shaft 50 is secured to a second bracket 51 by nuts 52.
  • the second bracket 51 is mounted on the two raised sections 26 of the mounting plate 22 by screws (not shown).
  • a plurality of wires 54 conduct the electrical output signals from the roll strain gages 55 through the torsion bar 21 along with the wires 37 from the pitch strain gages 40 to the signal processing unit (not shown).
  • Also shown in FIG. 3 is the assembly of the pitch flexure 10, the roll flexure 11 and the roll load beams 45 mounted in the hub 60 of the aircraft control wheel 61 and the spline 24 on the roll flexure 11 firmly secured in the control column 62.
  • the inside diameter of the cylindrical member 11 and the outside diameter of the torsion bar 21 form the outer and inner races respectively of a linear/roller bearing.
  • This bearing permits the flange end 12 of the cylindrical member 11 to have 2 of freedom, pitch and roll, and the opposite end to have l of freedom, roll. Therefore, the curved beams 14 extend or compress in reaction to the applied pitch forces.
  • the cantilevered pitch load beams 30 which bridge the curved beams 14 tend to deflect when the curved beams 14 are extended or compressed. Since the three beams 30 are in parallel, the amount of deflection experienced by each beam is the same. If the physical displacement in the beams 30 is relatively small, the pitch strain gages 40 operate at a low level and produce identical electrical output signals.
  • the pilot turns the control wheel 61 in a clockwise direction and to initiate a roll command to the left, he turns the wheel in a counterclockwise direction.
  • These turn commands are tangential forces applied to the control wheel 61 which are coupled into the mounting flange 12. Since both the mounting flange and the cylindrical member 11 are free to roll, and the curved beams 14 are non-compliant when torsion loads are applied between the two flanged ends of cylindrical member 11, they do not react to torque loads but rather transmit them to the collar 23 without rotational differential motion between the ends of the cylindrical member 11.
  • the collar 23 on the torsion bar 21 is pinned to one end of the cylindrical member 11. Therefore, it rotates when the cylindrical member 11 rotates.
  • the opposite end of the torsion bar 21 is held stationary since it is rigidly secured to the stationary control column 62 through the male spline 24.
  • the torsion bar 21 reacts to substantially all of the torque load applied to the control wheel 61 when the pilot initiates a turn command.
  • the parallel cantilevered roll load beams 45 operate a similar manner to the cantilevered pitch load beams 30.
  • the roll beams 45 have one end of each beam coupled through bracket 46 and the pitch flexure to the collar 23 which is the rotatable end of the torsion bar 21.
  • the other ends of the roll beams 45 are coupled through the second bracket 51 and the raised sections 26 to the stationary end of the torsion bar 21. Therefore, when the torsion bar 21 twists in reacting to applied torque loads, the roll beams 45 deflect. Since the roll beams 45 are in parallel, the amount of deflection experienced by each beam is the same. By maintaining the physical displacement of the beams relatively small, the roll strain gages 55 operate at a low level and produce identical electrical output signals.
  • the curved beams 14 and the torsion bar 21 reacted to approximately 95 percent of the applied pitch and roll forces, respectively, while the pitch load beams 30 which bridge the curved beams 14 and the roll load beams 45 which bridge the torsion bar 21 reacted to the remaining 5 percent of the applied pitch and roll forces.
  • the limit stops to the present invention disposed at the free ends of the pitch load beams 30 and the roll load beams 45 provide an adjustable threshold setting which must be exceeded before a pitch or roll command output signal is generated.
  • These limit stops function independently of the strain gages therefore the strain gages are operable over their entire range of sensitivity since they are not required to provide a dead zone.
  • the limit stops may be adjusted for any threshold value throughout the range from zero pounds up to the established limits set by the hard stop member 17.
  • the disclosed configuration of the primary pitch and roll flexures and the pitch and roll load beams eliminates cross-coupling effect in the strain gages and increases the accuracy of the command output signals.
  • a plurality of force sensors for steering control mounted in the hub of an aircraft control wheel which is affixed to a control column comprising pitch flexure means disposed within said hub coaxial with said column for reacting to a substantial portion of only those forces applied parallel to the axis of said wheel,
  • load flexure means disposed within said hub coaxial with said column and concentric with said pitch flexure means for reacting to a substantial portion of only those forces applied tangentially to said wheel
  • transducer means affixed to said pitch and roll beams for transforming said mechanical displacements into isolated pitch and roll electrical output signals indicative of said coaxially and tangentially applied forces.
  • a plurality of force sensors as described in claim 1 in which bearing means are positioned between said pitch flexure means and said roll flexure means to permit said pitch flexure means to transmit only tangentially applied forces to said roll flexure means.
  • pitch load beams include cantilevered beams coupled between each end of said pitch flexure means for producing mechanical displacements in response to said axially applied forces.
  • a plurality of force sensors as described in claim 1 in which said roll flexure means includes a torque responsive section coaxial with said column and concentric with said pitch flexure means for reacting only to said tangentially applied forces.
  • said roll load beams include cantilevered beams coupled between each end of said roll flexure means for providing mechanical displacements as a result of said tangentially applied forces.
  • pitch flexure means includes a cylindrical portion coaxial with said column having a mounting flange at one end and curved beams machined near the end opposite said mounting flange for reacting only to said axially applied forces
  • said pitch load beams including cantilevered beams each having one end rigidly coupled to said cylindrical portion of said pitch flexure means with said mounting flange and having the other end coupled to said end opposite said mounting flange thereby bridging said curved beams for producing said redundant mechanical displacements,
  • said roll flexure means includes a torsion bar coaxial with said column and concentric with said cylindrical portion of said pitch flexure means having one end rigidly coupled to said column and the end opposite said column affixed to said pitch flexure means at said end opposite said flange
  • said roll load beams include cantilevered beams each having one end coupled to said roll flexure means at said end coupled to said column and the other end rigidly coupled to said pitch flexure means at the opposite said mounting flange, and bearing means disposed between said pitch flexure means and said roll flexure means for providing 2 of freedom to said pitch flexure means at said flange mounted end and 1 of freedom to said end opposite said flange mounted end.
  • said bearing means includes roller bearings positioned along the length of said torsion bar and of proper size to eliminate radial movement between said torsion bar and said cylindrical portion of said pitch flexure means.
  • transducer means include semiconductor strain gages affixed to said pitch and roll load beams for transforming said mechanical displacements into electrical output signals.
  • transducer means include deposited strain gages disposed on said pitch and roll load beams for transforming said mechanical displacements into electrical output signals.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Force Measurement Appropriate To Specific Purposes (AREA)
  • Arrangements For Transmission Of Measured Signals (AREA)
US116334A 1971-02-18 1971-02-18 Control wheel force sensors Expired - Lifetime US3703267A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US11633471A 1971-02-18 1971-02-18

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US3703267A true US3703267A (en) 1972-11-21

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US116334A Expired - Lifetime US3703267A (en) 1971-02-18 1971-02-18 Control wheel force sensors

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Country Link
US (1) US3703267A (enExample)
CA (1) CA950230A (enExample)
DE (1) DE2205378A1 (enExample)
FR (1) FR2125540B1 (enExample)
GB (1) GB1346373A (enExample)
IT (1) IT950604B (enExample)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20090230252A1 (en) * 2008-03-13 2009-09-17 Eurocopter Aircraft flight control
US20240175768A1 (en) * 2020-12-24 2024-05-30 Tq-Systems Gmbh External force measurement system, measurement method and electrically assisted bicycle

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN104006912B (zh) * 2014-06-06 2016-05-04 中国商用飞机有限责任公司 适用于钢索传动的飞机驾驶盘的盘力测量装置
US10780915B2 (en) 2016-12-07 2020-09-22 Steering Solutions Ip Holding Corporation Vehicle steering system having a user experience based automated driving to manual driving transition system and method

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2945648A (en) * 1953-12-16 1960-07-19 Westinghouse Electric Corp Control arrangement for craft operable in space
US3251013A (en) * 1963-06-10 1966-05-10 Sperry Rand Corp Control stick transducer
US3447766A (en) * 1967-02-14 1969-06-03 Bendix Corp Control stick with solid state sensors
US3620073A (en) * 1968-09-18 1971-11-16 Honeywell Inc Control wheel force steering apparatus

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2945648A (en) * 1953-12-16 1960-07-19 Westinghouse Electric Corp Control arrangement for craft operable in space
US3251013A (en) * 1963-06-10 1966-05-10 Sperry Rand Corp Control stick transducer
US3447766A (en) * 1967-02-14 1969-06-03 Bendix Corp Control stick with solid state sensors
US3620073A (en) * 1968-09-18 1971-11-16 Honeywell Inc Control wheel force steering apparatus

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20090230252A1 (en) * 2008-03-13 2009-09-17 Eurocopter Aircraft flight control
FR2928621A1 (fr) * 2008-03-13 2009-09-18 Eurocopter France Commande de vol d'un aeronef.
US8074941B2 (en) 2008-03-13 2011-12-13 Eurocopter Aircraft flight control
US20240175768A1 (en) * 2020-12-24 2024-05-30 Tq-Systems Gmbh External force measurement system, measurement method and electrically assisted bicycle

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2205378A1 (de) 1972-08-31
GB1346373A (en) 1974-02-06
FR2125540A1 (enExample) 1972-09-29
IT950604B (it) 1973-06-20
FR2125540B1 (enExample) 1976-07-09
CA950230A (en) 1974-07-02

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AS Assignment

Owner name: SP-COMMERCIAL FLIGHT, INC., A DE CORP.,MICHIGAN

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:SPERRY CORPORATION;SPERRY RAND CORPORATION;SPERRY HOLDING COMPANY, INC.;REEL/FRAME:004838/0329

Effective date: 19861112

Owner name: SP-COMMERCIAL FLIGHT, INC., ONE BURROUGHS PLACE, D

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNORS:SPERRY CORPORATION;SPERRY RAND CORPORATION;SPERRY HOLDING COMPANY, INC.;REEL/FRAME:004838/0329

Effective date: 19861112

AS Assignment

Owner name: HONEYWELL INC.

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. EFFECTIVE DEC 30, 1986;ASSIGNOR:UNISYS CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:004869/0796

Effective date: 19880506

Owner name: HONEYWELL INC.,MINNESOTA

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:UNISYS CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:004869/0796

Effective date: 19880506